Cape Breton family homeless after car destroys house

Driver says 'no big deal' after crashing into home of three on Victoria Road in Whitney Pier

The driver lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a stop sign and a house before bouncing off a power pole and smashing into two parked cars. (Gary Mansfield/CBC)

A Cape Breton family is homeless after a car demolished part of their Victoria Road house over the weekend.

The driver lost control of his vehicle early Sunday morning and crashed into a stop sign, then a house, before bouncing off a power pole and smashing into two parked cars in Whitney Pier.

“Not having a place for my family, like a roof over your head, a nice warm home; yes, total devastation as far as I am concerned,” said James Delvecchio, who lives in the home with his wife and children.

Delvecchio’s wife Carol Crawley was sleeping in the living room when it happened.

'What do you mean it's not a big deal? You went through my house!'- Carol Crawley

“I do feel lucky to be alive,” she said.

Moments before the accident her daughter was on a loveseat in the room the car crashed into. The girl had just gone upstairs to get ready for bed when the accident happened.

Delvecchio heard a loud noise and jumped out his bed on the second floor.

“We got about three steps down where it was impassable because all the debris from the accident."

Crawley went outside to see the damage and saw the man getting out of his vehicle with his hands in the air.

“The fellow was getting out of his vehicle and he looked at me and he had his arms up in the air and he said to me, ‘It's not a big deal.' I said, 'What do you mean it's not a big deal? You went through my house!'"

Firefighters rescued her husband and daughter from the second floor.

The accident is under investigation.

Desiree Vassallo of the Cape Breton Regional Police said police have determined that drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the collision.

Police haven't ruled out speed as a factor.

The family is staying with relatives as they wait to see if insurance will cover the repairs for the rented home.

Carol Crawley and her family were at home when a car smashed into their house in Whitney Pier. (Gary Mansfield/CBC)